JP2002248814A - Image forming apparatus, data processing method for image forming apparatus, and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] Even when an error skip mode is not selected, a page in which a bitmap expansion error has occurred is reliably detected when transferring bitmap data for any stored print job. It is to be. SOLUTION: When it is detected that a predetermined expansion error has occurred during bitmap expansion of a drawing object by a drawing object drawing unit 132, an error corresponding to the bitmap of the expanded arbitrary page and the predetermined expansion error is detected. A feature is that information is stored in the output buffer 112 together.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus capable of receiving print job data from an arbitrary number of external devices communicable via a predetermined communication medium, a data processing method of the image forming apparatus, and a storage medium. It is.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus having image output processing means for receiving job data from an external device such as a host computer and developing it into bitmap data or the like on a page basis and performing printout, May cause various errors.

For example, when a work memory for processing or a memory for registering a character pattern or the like becomes insufficient during bitmap development of job data received from outside,
Errors such as “system work memory full” and “download memory full” occur. At this time, the error is displayed on a user interface unit such as an operation unit that is easily visible to the user.

[0004] In addition, during printing, even when the paper is out of paper, a paper jam, or when a paper of a designated size is not prepared in a paper feeding port of a cassette or the like, a "paper replenishment" or a "paper jam" is caused, respectively. When an error such as "paper exchange" occurs, the error is displayed on the user interface unit.

For example, when the “system work memory full” or the “download memory full” occurs,
Since a problem occurs such as that characters to be registered are not printed, an output result as expected by the user cannot be obtained.

Normally, in such a case, whether to cancel printing by a reset operation from the operation unit or to continue processing ignoring the error as it is. , Error skip) can be selected by the user using an operation unit or the like.

When error skip processing is not performed,
The error output is displayed, the image output process is interrupted, and an instruction input by the user is waited.

[0008]

As described above, in a conventional image forming apparatus, if a group of page data is collected to a certain extent as one job data unit, a plurality of received job data groups are set as a bitmap development queue. It has an input data storage area to be processed, and an output data storage area to make the page data stand by as a print output processing queue as output data after expanding the bit data into bitmap data, and the received job data is sequentially subjected to image output processing and printed. Has been output.

In particular, with the recent development of network systems, there are many situations in which a plurality of computers are connected to one image forming apparatus, and a large amount of data may be stored in an input data storage area and an output data storage area. It is possible.

However, when the error is not skipped, when an error is detected at the time of inputting / developing certain data, some output data is already in the output data storage area, and when the print output processing is being performed, the processing is not performed. It may be stopped. In this case, print processing of unintended job data is stopped.

Even if there is no input / output data in each of the input / output data storage areas, if an error is detected while inputting / developing the job data, the image input / output device of recent Since the data can be spooled in the image input / output device, the data being printed out is not necessarily the page where the error is detected.

For this reason, even if an error occurs on the fifth page and the printing process is immediately stopped, for example, even though certain 10 pages of data are flowing, the data is printed out according to the amount of spooled data. The number of pages may be different, for example, seven pages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and a first object of the present invention is to prevent occurrence of a predetermined expansion error during bitmap expansion by bitmap expansion means. If detected, the bitmap of the expanded arbitrary page and the error information for the predetermined expansion error are stored together, so that the bit for any stored print job can be stored even if the error skip mode is not selected. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus, a data processing method of the image forming apparatus, and a storage medium that can reliably detect a page on which a bitmap development error has occurred when transferring map data.

A second object is to determine whether the error skip mode for a print job has not been selected and to transfer bitmap data for any stored print job. When the page in which the expansion error has occurred is detected without fail, the transfer of the bitmap data to the printer of the subsequent page including the error page is stopped and the printing process is terminated, so that the error skip mode for the print job is selected. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus, a data processing method of the image forming apparatus, and a storage medium that can reliably stop print processing for a page after an error page has occurred even if the error page has not occurred.

A third object is to determine whether the error skip mode for a print job has not been selected and to transfer bitmap data for any stored print job. If the page in which the expansion error has occurred is reliably detected and the user has issued a print stop instruction, the transfer of the bitmap data to the printer of the subsequent page including the error page is stopped and the print processing is terminated. Accordingly, even when the error skip mode for the print job is not selected, the image forming apparatus, the data processing method of the image forming apparatus, and the data processing method capable of reliably stopping the print processing of the page after the page in which the error page has occurred The purpose is to provide a storage medium.

[0016]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus capable of receiving print job data from an external device via a predetermined communication medium. Bitmap developing means for developing job data into bitmap data in page units (corresponding to the drawing object drawing unit 132 shown in FIG. 3)
A detecting unit (corresponding to the drawing object drawing unit 132 shown in FIG. 3) for detecting whether or not a predetermined developing error has occurred during the bitmap developing by the bitmap developing unit; And an error information control unit (corresponding to the drawing object drawing unit 132 shown in FIG. 3) for adding error information to the page information of the page where the error has occurred when it is detected that the error has occurred.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the bitmap data generated by the bitmap expanding means is
When bitmap data is transferred to a printing unit that prints on a recording medium in page units, an error determining unit (a CPU 101 shown in FIG. 3) determines whether the error information is added to the page information of each page. Display control means (CPU 1 shown in FIG. 3) for displaying an error when the error determination means determines that the error information is added to the page information of the page.
01).

A third aspect of the present invention is a mode determining means for determining whether an error skip mode for skipping a predetermined error for the print job is selected (the CPU 101 shown in FIG. When the mode determination unit determines that the error skip mode for the print job is not selected, the state of addition of the error information to the page information of the page is determined. A stop control means (corresponding to the CPU 101 shown in FIG. 3) for stopping the transfer of the bitmap data of the subsequent page including the error page to the printing unit for printing the bitmap data on the recording medium It is.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mode determining means for determining whether or not an error skip mode for skipping a predetermined error for the print job is selected (the CPU 101 shown in FIG. When an error is displayed by the display unit,
Instructing means (corresponding to the operation unit 500 shown in FIG. 3) for instructing the stoppage of the printing process of the bitmap data for the error page, and when the mode determining means determines that the error skip mode for the print job is not selected. A stop control unit (CPU 101 shown in FIG. 3) for stopping transfer of bitmap data of a subsequent page including an error page to a printing unit for printing bitmap data on a recording medium, based on a print stop instruction by the instruction unit. ).

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, when the error judging means judges that the error information is added to the page information of the page and the error is displayed by the display means, Inquiring means for inquiring which one of the different printing methods should be used for printing, and printing bitmap data of a subsequent page including an error page on a recording medium in accordance with the printing method selected by the user by the inquiring means. Transfer control means for controlling transfer to a printing unit to be transferred.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the error detected by the detection means is an error caused by a shortage of a memory capacity used for expansion processing by the bitmap expansion means.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the error detected by the detecting means includes a data processing error caused by a shortage of a memory capacity for storing print job data received from the external device.

An eighth invention according to the present invention is a data processing method for an image forming apparatus capable of receiving print job data from an external device via a predetermined communication medium, wherein the print job data received from the external device is provided. (Step S804 shown in FIG. 5) for expanding the data into bitmap data in page units, and a detecting step for detecting whether a predetermined expansion error has occurred during the bitmap expansion in the bitmap expansion step. (Step S805 shown in FIG. 5) and an error information control step of adding error information to the page information of the page where the error has occurred when the detection step detects that the error has occurred (Step S805 in FIG. 5). S80
6).

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, when transferring the bitmap data generated in the bitmap development step to a printing unit for printing the bitmap data on a recording medium in units of pages, An error determining step for determining whether the error information is added to the page information of the page (step S shown in FIG. 5)
810) and a display control step (step S812 shown in FIG. 5) for displaying an error when it is determined in the error determination step that the error information is added to the page information of the page.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, a mode determining step (not shown) for determining whether an error skip mode for skipping a predetermined error for the print job is selected, and the mode determining step If it is determined that the error skip mode for the print job is not selected, the state of addition of the error information to the page information of the page is determined, and bitmap data of a subsequent page including the error page is replaced with bitmap data. And a stop control step (step S814 shown in FIG. 5) for stopping the transfer to the printing unit that prints on the recording medium.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mode determining step (not shown) for determining whether an error skip mode for skipping a predetermined error with respect to the print job is selected, and an error is displayed by a display means. In the case where it is determined that the error skip mode for the print job has not been selected by the instruction step (step S912 shown in FIG. 8) for instructing the stoppage of the print processing of the bitmap data for the error page, Next, based on a print stop instruction in the instruction step, a stop control step of stopping transfer of bitmap data of a subsequent page including an error page to a printing unit that prints the bitmap data on a recording medium (see FIG. 9). Step S918) It is intended to.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, when the error determining step determines that the error information is added to the page information of the page, and the error is displayed by the display means, An inquiry step (step S911 shown in FIG. 9) for inquiring which one of the different printing methods is to be performed, and bitmap data of a subsequent page including an error page according to the printing method selected by the user in the inquiry step. A transfer control step (step S91 shown in FIG. 9) for controlling the transfer of the bitmap data to a printing unit for printing on a recording medium.
8).

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, the error detected by the detecting step is an error caused by a shortage of a memory capacity used for the expansion processing by the bitmap expansion unit.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, the error detected by the detecting step includes a data processing error caused by insufficient memory capacity for storing print job data received from the external device.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, the image forming apparatus capable of receiving print job data from an external device via a predetermined communication medium stores the print job data received from the external device in a bit map in page units. A bitmap development step for developing data (step S804 shown in FIG. 5) and a detection step for detecting whether or not a predetermined development error has occurred during the bitmap development in the bitmap development step (step shown in FIG. 5) S
805), and an error information control step (step S806 shown in FIG. 5) of adding error information to the page information of the page where the error has occurred when the detection step detects that an error has occurred. Computer-readable program is recorded on a recording medium so as to be readable by a computer.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, when transferring the bitmap data generated in the bitmap development step to a printing unit for printing the bitmap data on a recording medium in units of pages, An error determining step (step S810 shown in FIG. 5) for determining whether the error information is added to the page information of the page, and determining that the error information is added to the page information of the page by the error determining step And a display control step (Step S812 shown in FIG. 5) of displaying an error when the display is performed.

According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, a mode determining step (not shown) for determining whether an error skip mode for skipping a predetermined error for the print job is selected, and the mode determining step includes: If it is determined that the error skip mode for the print job is not selected, the state of addition of the error information to the page information of the page is determined, and bitmap data of a subsequent page including the error page is replaced with bitmap data. And a stop control step (step S814 shown in FIG. 5) for stopping the transfer to the printing unit that prints on the recording medium.

According to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mode determining step (not shown) for determining whether an error skip mode for skipping a predetermined error for the print job is selected, and an error is displayed by a display means. In the case where it is determined that the error skip mode for the print job has not been selected by the instruction step (step S912 shown in FIG. 8) for instructing the stoppage of the print processing of the bitmap data for the error page, Next, based on a print stop instruction in the instruction step, a stop control step of stopping transfer of bitmap data of a subsequent page including an error page to a printing unit that prints the bitmap data on a recording medium (see FIG. 9). Step S918) It is intended to.

According to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, when the error judging step judges that the error information is added to the page information of the page and the error is displayed by the display means, An inquiry step (step S911 shown in FIG. 9) for inquiring which one of the different printing methods is to be performed, and bitmap data of a subsequent page including an error page according to the printing method selected by the user in the inquiry step. A transfer control step (step S91 shown in FIG. 9) for controlling the transfer of the bitmap data to a printing unit for printing on a recording medium.
8).

According to a twentieth aspect of the present invention, the error detected by the detecting step is an error caused by a shortage of a memory capacity used for expansion processing by the bitmap expansion unit.

According to a twenty-first aspect of the present invention, the error detected by the detecting step includes a data processing error caused by a shortage of a memory capacity for storing print job data received from the external device.

[0037]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [First Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, the overall configuration of an image input / output system to which the present invention can be applied will be described.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the overall configuration of an image input / output system to which the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention can be applied.

The reader unit (reader device) 200 shown in FIG.
Reads an original image optically and converts it into image data. The reader unit 200 includes a scanner unit 210 having a function of reading a document, and a document feeding unit 250 having a function of conveying document sheets.

The printer unit (printer device) 300 conveys a recording sheet, prints image data thereon as a visible image, and discharges the recording sheet outside the apparatus. The printer unit 300 includes a paper feeding unit 310 having a plurality of types of recording paper cassettes, a marking unit 320 having a function of transferring and fixing print data to recording paper, and a printing unit for sorting and stapling printed recording paper and performing external printing. Output unit 33 with the function of outputting to
0.

The control unit 110 is electrically connected to the reader unit 200 and the printer unit 300, and further has a host computer (PC) 401,
402. It is assumed that the host computers (PCs) 401 and 402 and the control device 110 of the image input / output system 100 are configured to be communicable by a protocol such as SNMP.

The control device (controller unit) 110
Controls the reader unit 200 to read the print data of the document, and controls the printer unit 300 to output the print data to recording paper to provide a copy function. Also, the reader unit 2
The scanner function converts the print data read from 00 to code data and transmits the code data to the host computer via the network 400, converts the code data received from the host computer via the network 400 into print data, It has a printer function to output.

The operation unit 150 is connected to the control device 110, is constituted by a liquid crystal touch panel, and provides a user interface for operating the image input / output system 100.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating the configuration of the image input / output system 100 including the reader unit 200 and the printer unit 300 shown in FIG.

In FIG. 2, a document feeding unit 250 of the reader unit 200 feeds a document one by one on the platen glass 211 in the order of the head, and discharges the document on the platen glass 211 after the reading operation of the document is completed. Things. When the original is conveyed onto platen glass 211, lamp 2
12 is turned on, and the movement of the optical unit 213 is started, and the original is exposed and scanned. The reflected light from the original at this time is reflected by mirrors 214, 215, 216 and lens 21.
7, CCD image sensor (hereinafter referred to as CCD)
218. In this manner, the scanned image of the document is read by the CCD 218. The image data output from the CCD 218 is subjected to predetermined processing,
Transferred to control device 110.

Laser driver 321 of printer unit 300
Drives the laser light emitting unit 322, and causes the laser light emitting unit 322 to emit a laser beam corresponding to the image data output from the control device 110.

The laser beam is applied to the photosensitive drum 323, and a latent image corresponding to the laser beam is formed on the photosensitive drum 323. The developer is attached to the latent image portion of the photosensitive drum 323 by the developing device 324.

Then, at a timing synchronized with the start of the laser beam irradiation, a recording sheet is fed from one of the cassettes 311 and 312 and transported to the transfer section 325 to record the developer attached to the photosensitive drum 323. Transfer to paper.
Thereafter, the recording paper on which the developer is loaded is conveyed to the fixing unit 326, and the developer is fixed on the recording paper by the heat and pressure of the fixing unit 326. The recording paper that has passed through the fixing unit 326 is discharged by discharge rollers 327, and a discharge unit 330 bundles the discharged recording papers, sorts the recording papers, and staples the sorted recording papers.

When double-sided recording is set,
After the recording paper is conveyed to the discharge roller 327, the rotation direction of the discharge roller 327 is reversed, and the flapper 328 is rotated.
To the re-feed conveyance path 329. Refeeding conveyance path 32
9 is transferred to the transfer unit 32 at the timing described above.
5 is fed.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of control device 110 shown in FIG. 1. The same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In FIG. 3, the network I / F 104
Is connected to, for example, an external host computer 401 via a network such as a LAN, and is configured to execute a predetermined print process according to print job data transmitted from the host computer 401. Note that, as shown in FIG. 1, the number of host computers is not limited to one, but may be plural depending on the network system.

The CPU 101 controls access to various devices connected to the system bus 106 based on a program read from the ROM 120. Print job data described in PDL (page description language) code received from the host computer 401 is stored in a reception buffer 111 which is an input data storage area, and the data is sequentially interpreted by the CPU 101 and developed into bitmap data. I do.

The process of generating bitmap data is performed by a drawing object generating unit 131 and a drawing object drawing unit 132 which are configured as a part of a program.

More specifically, the drawing object generation unit 131 first analyzes PDL code data (character print command, image drawing command, graphic drawing command, etc.) and generates an intermediate data format object suitable for drawing for one page. After doing
The drawing object drawing unit 132 generates bitmap data based on the drawing object.

The drawing object generator 131
Each of the drawing object drawing units 132 is configured to generate various errors such as a memory full condition and an operator call such as a paper exchange as needed during the analysis of the print job data. The developed bitmap data is stored in the output buffer 112, which is an output data storage area on the RAM 107, and the printer 300 sequentially outputs the data.

The print job data described in the page description language is generated in advance as a file in the hard disk 411 of the host computer by a printer driver that converts a print instruction from application software on the host computer 401 into the page description language. It is assumed that

The RAM 107 includes a work memory 113 for operating the CPU 101 and a host computer 401.
It is used as a reception buffer 111 for storing print job data received from the printer, an output buffer 112 for storing drawing objects converted into bitmap data, and the like.
Needless to say, the capacity of the RAM 107 can be expanded by the option RAM.

The operation unit I / F 105 is connected to the operation unit 500. The operation unit 500 includes a liquid crystal display unit and a touch panel input device attached on the liquid crystal display unit.
It has multiple hard keys. The signal input by the touch panel or the hard key is transmitted to the operation unit I / F1 described above.
The liquid crystal display unit transmits the image data transmitted from the operation unit I / F 105 to the CPU 101 via the operation unit 05. The liquid crystal display displays a function display, image data, and the like in the operation of the image forming apparatus.

The scanner I / F 102 is a reader unit 200
And connected to the image received from the reader unit 200,
Depending on the contents of the processing in the subsequent process, it has a function of performing optimal binarization and performing magnification processing of main scanning and sub scanning, and further has a function of controlling the video control signal sent from the reader unit 200. And a function of outputting the generated control signal to the system bus 106.

The printer I / F 103 is a printer 30
0, has a function of performing smoothing processing on image data obtained from the output buffer 112 via the system bus 106, and outputting the image data to the printer unit 300. It also has a function of outputting a control signal generated based on the signal to the system bus 106.

The font ROM 140 stores character information (font specification, size,
Outline data corresponding to character codes, rotation angles, etc.).

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a printing process in the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.
Indicates a data processing process.

FIG. 4A corresponds to the process of storing print job data stored in the reception buffer 111.
4B corresponds to a process of reading and analyzing print job data in the reception buffer 111 by the drawing object generation unit 131, and FIG. 4C corresponds to a process of storing data in the output buffer 112. , FIG. 4 (d)
Corresponds to the process of checking the error information in the printer unit stored in the output buffer 112.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a first data processing procedure in the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. The first data processing procedure is executed by the CPU 101 shown in FIG. 3 based on a control program stored in the ROM 120. This corresponds to the first print processing procedure. S801 to S814 indicate each step.

First, when print job data is received from the host computer 401 using a predetermined protocol, the print job data is sequentially stored in the reception buffer 111 as shown in FIG. 4A (S801). Then, the CPU 101 determines whether the capacity of the reception buffer 111 is full and the data cannot be further stored, or whether the reception buffer 111 is full (S802). The host computer 401 returns an error of "reception buffer full", and has the user select whether to send print job data again (re-input print data) or to cancel the print processing, and determine the result. If it is determined that the printing process is to be stopped (S803), the process is terminated, and if it is determined that the print data is to be re-input, the process returns to step S801.

On the other hand, if there is room in the capacity of the reception buffer 111 in step S802, the determination is NO, and
The print job data can be received from the host computer. When the print job data is received, FIG.
As shown in (b), the drawing object generation unit 131 reads and analyzes the print job data in the reception buffer 111. The print job data to be read is read in the order stored in the reception buffer 111.

First, in step S804, it is checked whether or not the read print job data is a drawing command. If so, the drawing object generation unit 131 checks the parameters of the print job data in PDL (page description language) and performs a predetermined conversion. Perform processing to generate a corresponding drawing object. At this time, if the print job data is a character print command, the drawing object generation unit 13
1 reads out outline data corresponding to character information (font specification, size, character code, rotation angle, etc.) specified in the print job data from the font ROM 140 to generate a dot pattern (drawing object). Then, the drawing object drawing unit 132 starts bitmap development according to the drawing object generated by the drawing object generation unit 131.

At this time, in step S805, while the drawing object drawing unit 132
It is determined whether or not an error has been detected. If no error has been detected, the process proceeds to step S807. If an error has been detected (for example, a continuable error such as insufficient memory has occurred during the interpretation of the drawing command), Stores the error information in the page attribute in the page information, as shown in FIG. 4B (S806).

FIG. 4C shows page information necessary for drawing on the band raster, such as position information on which the developed bitmap is to be printed, the width, height, and drawing logic of the dot pattern. Is stored in the output buffer 112 (S807).

Also, when the content to be printed is graphic data or image data other than characters, intermediate data (drawing object) corresponding to each print command is similarly generated, and position information and dot pattern to be printed are obtained. Width / height /
It is stored in the output buffer 112 together with the page information such as the drawing logic as shown in FIG.

The bitmap data and page information for each page have a configuration as shown in FIG. 6, but this is not necessarily required.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining a page structure in the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a first error check displayed on the liquid crystal display unit of the operation unit 500 shown in FIG. It is a figure showing an example of a display.

Next, in step S807, the output data stored in the output buffer 112 is transferred to the printer 300 (S808). In response, the printer unit 3
00 receives the output data read from the output buffer 112 and prints the drawing object in page units (S809).

Then, at the time of printing, as shown in FIG. 4D, it is determined whether or not the error information stored in the output buffer 112 is set in the page attribute (S8).
10) If it is determined that the error information is set in the page attribute, the process proceeds to step S812, and in this case,
Since error skip is not performed, the error information is displayed on the liquid crystal display of the operation unit 500 shown in FIG. 3 in a format as shown in FIG. 7 (S812), and the user confirms the error message on the liquid crystal display. Thereafter, when an instruction to press the “OK” button is given on the liquid crystal display unit in FIG. 7, the printing process is temporarily stopped (S814), and the process ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S810 that the error information is not set in the page attribute, the printing process is started (S811), and the process proceeds to step S813 until it is determined that the last page is printed. S8
Steps 09 to S813 are repeated.

If it is determined in step S813 that the last page is to be printed, step S814 is executed.
Then, the process of the printer device 300 is stopped, and the process ends.

As described above, the user confirms the error information on the liquid crystal display unit provided on the operation unit 500,
By pressing the "OK" button on the liquid crystal display unit in FIG. 7, the printing process can be stopped before outputting the error page. The display on the liquid crystal display unit shown in FIG. 7 is an example, and the present invention is not limited to this example.

[Second Embodiment] In the first embodiment,
In the case where an error has occurred in the page being printed when the drawing object was created, the case where the printing process is stopped immediately and the error is terminated based on the user's print stop confirmation instruction from the operation unit 500 has been described. May be configured so that the user can select either a print continuation or a print stop for the print mode when an error occurs. Hereinafter, the embodiment will be described.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the second data processing procedure in the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. The second data processing procedure is executed by the CPU 101 shown in FIG. 3 based on the control program stored in the ROM 120. This corresponds to the first print processing procedure. Note that S901 to S918 indicate each step.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a second error confirmation display example displayed on the liquid crystal display unit of the operation unit 500 shown in FIG.

First, when print job data is received from the host computer 401 using a predetermined protocol, the print job data is sequentially stored in the reception buffer 111 as shown in FIG. 4A (S901). Then, the CPU 101 determines whether the capacity of the reception buffer 111 is full and the data cannot be further stored, or whether the reception buffer 111 is full (S902). The host computer 401 returns an error of "reception buffer full", and has the user select whether to send print job data again (re-input print data) or to cancel the print processing, and determine the result. Then, if it is determined that the print processing is to be stopped (S903), the processing is terminated, and if it is determined that the print data is to be re-input, the process returns to step S901.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S902 that there is room in the capacity of the reception buffer 111, the determination is NO, and
The print job data can be received from the host computer. When the print job data is received, FIG.
As shown in (b), the drawing object generation unit 131 reads and analyzes the print job data in the reception buffer 111. The print job data to be read is read in the order stored in the reception buffer 111.

First, in step S904, it is checked whether the read print job data is a drawing command. If so, the drawing object generation unit 131 checks the parameters of the print job data in PDL (page description language), and performs a predetermined conversion. Perform processing to generate a corresponding drawing object. At this time, if the print job data is a character print command, the drawing object generation unit 13
1 reads out outline data corresponding to character information (font specification, size, character code, rotation angle, etc.) specified in the print job data from the font ROM 140 to generate a dot pattern (drawing object). Then, the drawing object drawing unit 132 starts bitmap development according to the drawing object generated by the drawing object generation unit 131.

At this time, in step S905, while the drawing object drawing unit 132
It is determined whether an error has been detected. If no error has been detected, the process proceeds to step S907. If an error has been detected (for example, a continuable error such as a memory shortage has occurred during the interpretation of the drawing command), Stores the error information in the page attribute in the page information as shown in FIG. 4B (S906).

FIG. 4C shows page information necessary for drawing on the band raster, such as position information to print the expanded bit map, width / height of the dot pattern, drawing logic, and the like. Is stored in the output buffer 112 (S907).

Also, when the content to be printed is graphic data or image data other than characters, intermediate data (drawing object) corresponding to each print command is similarly generated, and positional information and dot pattern to be printed are generated. Width / height /
It is stored in the output buffer 112 together with the page information such as the drawing logic as shown in FIG.

The bitmap data and page information for each page have a configuration as shown in FIG. 6, but this is not necessarily required.

Next, in step S 908, the output data stored in the output buffer 112 is transferred to the printer 300. In response, the printer unit 300 receives the output data read from the output buffer 112,
The drawing object is printed in page units (S90
9).

Then, at the time of printing, as shown in FIG. 4D, it is determined whether or not the error information stored in the output buffer 112 is set in the page attribute (S9).
10) If it is determined that the error information is set in the page attribute, the process proceeds to step S911, and in this case,
Since error skip is not performed, the error information is displayed on the liquid crystal display of the operation unit 500 shown in FIG. 3 in a format as shown in FIG. 9, for example. After checking the error message,
It is determined whether or not an instruction to press the “continue print” button has been made on the liquid crystal display unit in FIG. 9 (S912). Then, the printer unit 300 prints the drawing object stored in the output buffer 112 in page units.

Steps S909 to S909 are repeated until it is determined in step S915 that the last page is printed.
Repeat 914.

If it is determined in step S915 that the last page is to be printed, step S918 is performed.
Then, the process of the printer device 300 is stopped, and the process ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S 912 that the instruction to press the “continue printing” button has not been made, it is determined in step S 914 whether the error page is skipped and the printing process is continued from the next page. If it is determined that the printing process is to be continued from the next page, the process proceeds to step S915.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S 914 that the printing process is not to be continued from the next page, it is determined in step S 916 whether an instruction to output up to the error page and stop the printing process has been issued. If it is determined that the print processing has been instructed to stop, the print processing is performed up to the error page (S917), and the process proceeds to step S918.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S916 that an instruction to output up to the error page and stop the printing process has not been issued, the process advances to step S918 to immediately stop the printing process.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, after explicitly indicating to the user whether or not an error has been set in the page attribute, the user freely selects whether to continue or cancel the printing process in a desired manner. be able to. FIG.
Is an example, and the present invention is not limited to this example.

[Third Embodiment] In the first and second embodiments, the form in which one print job data is printed out has been described. However, the present invention is also applicable to the form in which a plurality of print job data is printed out. it can. Hereinafter, the embodiment will be described.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are conceptual diagrams showing an example of a printing process performed by the image forming apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 10A to 10F respectively show a data processing process.
This example corresponds to an example of a data processing process for printing out a plurality of print job data.

In FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, for example, if an error occurs when a drawing object of certain print job data is created, and even if there are a plurality of output data in the output buffer in which a drawing object has already been created, print output is performed at the time of outputting them. The printout is output without suspending the process, and the printout process is temporarily suspended on the error page when printing the print job data in which the error has occurred.

Hereinafter, the configuration of a data processing program readable by an image processing system to which the image forming apparatus according to the present invention can be applied will be described with reference to a memory map shown in FIG.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a memory map of a storage medium that stores various data processing programs that can be read by an image processing system to which the image forming apparatus according to the present invention can be applied.

Although not shown, information for managing a group of programs stored in the storage medium, for example, version information, a creator, etc. are also stored, and information that depends on the OS or the like on the program reading side, for example, a program is stored. An icon or the like for identification display may also be stored.

Further, data dependent on various programs is also managed in the directory. Also, a program for installing various programs on a computer, and a program for decompressing a program to be installed when the program to be installed is compressed, may be stored in some cases.

The functions shown in FIGS. 5 and 8 in this embodiment may be performed by a host computer by a program installed from the outside. In that case, CD-ROM, flash memory, FD
The present invention can be applied to a case in which a group of information including a program is supplied to an output device from a storage medium such as the above or from an external storage medium via a network.

As described above, the storage medium storing the program codes of the software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to the system or the apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or MP) of the system or the apparatus is supplied.
It goes without saying that the object of the present invention is also achieved when U) reads and executes the program code stored in the storage medium.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the novel function of the present invention, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy (registered trademark) disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, C
D-ROM, CD-R, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, EEPROM, etc. can be used.

The functions of the above-described embodiments are implemented when the computer executes the readout program codes, and the OS (Operating System) running on the computer is executed based on the instructions of the program codes. ) And the like perform part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instruction of the program code, The CPU provided in the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing,
It goes without saying that a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by the processing is also included.

[0109]

As described above, the first embodiment according to the present invention is described.
According to the twenty-first aspect, in the image forming apparatus capable of receiving print job data from an external device via a predetermined communication medium, a predetermined development error occurs during bitmap development by the bitmap development unit. Is detected, the bitmap of the expanded arbitrary page and the error information for the predetermined expansion error are stored together.
Even when the error skip mode is not selected, a page in which a bitmap development error has occurred can be reliably detected when bitmap data for an arbitrary stored print job is transferred.

Also, when it is determined that the error skip mode for the print job is not selected, and when transferring the stored bitmap data for any print job, the page on which a bitmap development error has occurred If the error skip mode is not selected for the print job, the transfer of the bitmap data to the printer of the subsequent page including the error page is stopped and the printing process is terminated when the error page is detected. It is possible to reliably stop the print processing of the pages after the page where the error occurs.

Further, when it is determined that the error skip mode for the print job has not been selected, and when transferring the stored bitmap data for any print job, the page where the bitmap development error has occurred is determined. Is detected, and when the user gives a print cancel instruction, the transfer of the bitmap data to the printer of the succeeding page including the error page is stopped and the printing process is terminated. Even when the error skip mode is not selected, it is possible to reliably stop the print processing of the pages after the page where the error page occurs.

Therefore, if an error occurs when the drawing object is developed into a bitmap, the error information is stored in the output buffer together with the bitmap data.
If the error skip function is not used at the time of printing, it is possible to search for the error information, and it is possible to temporarily suspend the print output processing of a desired page, that is, the page immediately before the occurrence of the error and subsequent pages. It has excellent effects.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an overall configuration of an image input / output system to which an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of an image input / output system including a reader unit and a printer unit illustrated in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control device illustrated in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a printing process in the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a first data processing procedure in the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a page configuration in the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a first error confirmation display example displayed on a liquid crystal display unit of the operation unit shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a second data processing procedure in the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

9 is a diagram showing a second error confirmation display example displayed on the liquid crystal display unit of the operation unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of a printing process performed by an image forming apparatus according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of a printing process performed by an image forming apparatus according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a memory map of a storage medium that stores various data processing programs that can be read by an image processing system to which the image forming apparatus according to the present invention can be applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Image input / output system 110 Control measures 200 Reader unit 300 Printer unit 400 LAN unit 500 Operation unit

Claims (21)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus capable of receiving print job data from an external device via a predetermined communication medium, wherein the bit map expands the print job data received from the external device into bitmap data in page units. Expansion means, detection means for detecting whether or not a predetermined expansion error has occurred during bitmap expansion by the bitmap expansion means, and when an error has been detected by the detection means, an error is generated. An error information control unit for adding error information to page information of the generated page. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein when transferring the bitmap data generated by the bitmap developing means to a printing unit for printing the bitmap data on a recording medium, the error information is added to the page information of each page. Error determining means for determining whether the error information has been added, and display control means for displaying an error when the error determining means determines that the error information has been added to the page information of the page. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: 3. A mode determining means for determining whether an error skip mode for skipping a predetermined error for the print job has been selected, and if the error skip mode for the print job has not been selected by the mode determining means. If it is determined, the state of addition of the error information to the page information of the page is determined, and the bitmap data of the subsequent page including the error page is transferred to a printing unit that prints the bitmap data on a recording medium. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a stop control unit configured to stop the image forming apparatus. 4. A mode determining means for determining whether an error skip mode for skipping a predetermined error with respect to the print job is selected, and, when an error is displayed by the display means, a bit map data for an error page is displayed. Instructing means for instructing stop of print processing, and when the mode determining means determines that the error skip mode for the print job is not selected, based on a print cancel instruction by the instructing means,
3. The image according to claim 1, further comprising: a stop control unit that stops transferring bitmap data of a subsequent page including an error page to a printing unit that prints the bitmap data on a recording medium. Forming equipment. 5. The error determining means determines that the error information is added to page information of a page,
Inquiring means for inquiring the user as to which one of the different printing methods should be processed when an error is displayed by the display means; and a subsequent step including an error page according to the printing method selected by the user by the inquiring means. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: transfer control means for controlling transfer of the bitmap data of the page to a printing unit for printing the bitmap data on a recording medium. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the error detected by the detection unit is an error caused by a shortage of a memory capacity used for expansion processing by the bitmap expansion unit. 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the error detected by the detection unit includes a data processing error caused by insufficient memory capacity for storing print job data received from the external device. . 8. A data processing method for an image forming apparatus capable of receiving print job data from an external device via a predetermined communication medium, wherein the print job data received from the external device is converted into bitmap data in page units. A bitmap expansion step for expansion; a detection step for detecting whether a predetermined expansion error has occurred during the bitmap expansion by the bitmap expansion step; and a case where an error has been detected by the detection step. And an error information control step of adding error information to page information of a page in which an error has occurred. 9. When transferring the bitmap data generated in the bitmap development step to a printing unit for printing the bitmap data on a recording medium, the error information is added to the page information of each page. An error determining step of determining whether the error information has been added, and a display control step of displaying an error when the error determining step determines that the error information has been added to the page information of the page. 9. The data processing method for an image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein: 10. A mode judging step for judging whether an error skip mode for skipping a predetermined error for the print job is selected, and an error skip mode for the print job is not selected by the mode judging step. If it is determined, the state of addition of the error information to the page information of the page is determined, and the bitmap data of a subsequent page including the error page is transferred to a printing unit that prints the bitmap data on a recording medium. The image processing apparatus data processing method according to claim 8, further comprising a stop control step of stopping. 11. A mode determining step for determining whether an error skip mode for skipping a predetermined error for the print job is selected, and printing of bitmap data for an error page when an error is displayed by a display unit. An instruction step of instructing a processing stop; and, if the mode determining step determines that the error skip mode for the print job has not been selected, a bit of a subsequent page including an error page based on the print stop instruction by the instruction step. 10. The image forming apparatus data processing method according to claim 8, further comprising a stop control step of stopping transfer of the map data to a printing unit that prints the bitmap data on a recording medium. 12. When the error determining step determines that the error information is added to the page information of the page, and when an error is displayed by the display unit, the user can perform printing by using any of different printing methods. A step of inquiring whether to process by a method, and transferring bitmap data of a subsequent page including an error page to a printing unit for printing the bitmap data on a recording medium according to a printing method selected by the user in the inquiry step. 10. The data processing method for an image forming apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a transfer control step of controlling. 13. The data processing of the image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the error detected by the detecting step is an error caused by a shortage of a memory capacity used for expansion processing by the bitmap expansion unit. Method. 14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the error detected by the detecting step includes a data processing error caused by a shortage of a memory capacity for storing print job data received from the external device. Data processing method. 15. A bitmap expanding step of expanding print job data received from the external device into bitmap data in page units in an image forming apparatus capable of receiving print job data from the external device via a predetermined communication medium. During the bitmap expansion by the bitmap expansion step, a detection step of detecting whether a predetermined expansion error has occurred, and when an error has been detected by the detection step, an error has occurred. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for executing an error information control step of adding error information to page information of a page. 16. When transferring the bitmap data generated in the bitmap development step to a printing unit that prints the bitmap data on a recording medium, the error information is added to the page information of each page. An error determining step of determining whether the error information has been added, and a display control step of displaying an error when the error determining step determines that the error information has been added to the page information of the page. The storage medium according to claim 15, wherein: 17. A mode determining step for determining whether an error skip mode for skipping a predetermined error with respect to the print job is selected, and an error skip mode for the print job is not selected by the mode determining step. If it is determined, the state of addition of the error information to the page information of the page is determined, and the bitmap data of a subsequent page including the error page is transferred to a printing unit that prints the bitmap data on a recording medium. 17. The storage medium according to claim 15, comprising: a stop control step of stopping. 18. A mode determining step for determining whether an error skip mode for skipping a predetermined error for the print job is selected, and printing of bitmap data for an error page when an error is displayed by a display unit. An instruction step of instructing a stop of processing, and if the mode determination step determines that the error skip mode for the print job has not been selected, a bit of a succeeding page including an error page based on the print stop instruction by the instruction step 17. The storage medium according to claim 15, further comprising a stop control step of stopping transfer of the map data to a printing unit that prints bitmap data on a recording medium. 19. When the error determining step determines that the error information is added to the page information of the page, and when an error is displayed by the display unit, the user can perform printing using any of different printing methods. A step of inquiring whether to process by a method, and transferring bitmap data of a subsequent page including an error page to a printing unit that prints the bitmap data on a recording medium according to a printing method selected by the user in the inquiry step. 17. The storage medium according to claim 16, comprising: a transfer control step of controlling. 20. The storage medium according to claim 15, wherein the error detected by the detection step is an error caused by a shortage of a memory capacity used for expansion processing by the bitmap expansion unit. 21. The storage medium according to claim 15, wherein the error detected by the detecting step includes a data processing error caused by insufficient memory capacity for storing print job data received from the external device.